Pressure cooker



Feb. 20, 1945. ALLEN 2,369,932

PRESSURE COOKER Filed July 21, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 76 i6 78 54 4 45 44 z ig C 46 l WITNESSES: 52 50 INVENTOR W 6, HAROLD RALLEN Ll 52 BY W FIG. 4 ATTOR EY Feb. 20, 1945. H p ALLEN 2,369,932

PRESSURE COOKER Filed July 21, 1943 2 eet he 2 F IG'. 5.

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WITNESSES: z; :zgeafi INVENTOR HQROLD P. ALLEN ATTOR Y Patented Feb. 20, 1945 PRESSURE COOKER Harold P. Allen, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application Jilly 21, 1943, Serial No. 495,809

7 Claims.

My invention relates to a pressure cooker and has for an object to produce improved apparatus of this type.

A further object of my invention is to produce an improved control for a pressure cooker of the type set iorth.

A still further object of my invention is to produce a conveniently-operated pressure cooker.

These and other objects are efiected by my invention as will be apparent from the follow ing description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical cross sectional view of a. pressure cooker provided with a control mecha' nism embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on line IIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the control panel with certain partrbroken away to show details of construction;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of an electric circuit forming part of the control mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a modified form of control mechanism for the pressure cooker shown in Fig. 1, said mechanism being shown in the "01!" position;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, illustrating the control mechanism in the on" position and also howing the electric circuit used; and,

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of another form of the control panel.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. 1, I show a pressure cooker including a vessel Ill and a supporting stand II. The stand it is provided with a recess ll for accommodating the bottom of the pan. The vessel I0 rests on a heating element It carried by a spider or the like I! and is provided with a tight cover which may be suitably clamped to the rim thereof. The vertical wall of the pot Iii is preferably provided with an enlarged portion 22 through which extends, or is formed, a conduit or passage 24. The upper end of the conduit 24 communicates with the interior of the pot Iii while the lower end thereof is normally closed by means of a spring-pressed ball valve 26 adapted to seat against and close an opening in a guide member 28. threaded at the lower end of the enlarged portion 22.

The stand I! carries a control mechanism which includes a timing device adapted to be set to measure a predetermined period of cocking at a predetermined pressure, means for engaging and preventing said timing device from elfecting such measurement until such pressure has been reached, pressure-responsive means for releasing the timing device, when said pressure is reached, to permit the same to begin to measure the period of time for which it was set, means for maintaining the pressure within said vessel constant, and a signal lamp for indicating the beginning and the end of a cooking operation.

The heating element and the signal lamp are connected in parallel to an electric circuit which is best shown in Fig. 4. This circuit in cludes a main switch which energizes and deenergizes both the heating element and the signal lamp at the start and the end of a cooking operation, and an auxiliary cycling switch for energizing or deenergizing the heating element only, according to the pressure prevailing within the vessel.

The timing device may be in the nature or a conventional clock mechanism which is suitably supported in position, as for example by a bracket 29, and includes a setting knob 30, having an index or pointer 3| and movable with reference to a graduated dial 32. The knob 30 may be used only for setting or for both setting and winding the clock mechanism, depending on the type of clock mechanism employed. The initial movement of the knob 30 in one direction (clockwise direction as illustrated in Fig. 3) also actuates an arm 34 in the same direction. The arm 34 is adapted to be actuated in a reverse, or counterclockwise, direction by operation of the clock mechanism. In the path of the return movement of the rrm 34 is disposed a lever 36, pivoted at 38 and normally biased downwardly by a spring 40. Disposed in the downward path of the lever 36 is a normally upwardly-biased spring arm 42. The spring arm 42 carries one terminal 44 of the main switch 45 and is adapted to be depressed by the lever 36 to bring the terminal 44 into contact with the other terminal 46 of the switch 45 to close the latter. The terminal 4B is carried by a fixed arm 48. The arms 42 and 48 may also be supported from the bracket 29. The closing of the switch 45 at the start of the cooking operation energizes the lamp 50 through the wires 52 and energizes the heating element l6 through the wires 54 and the normally closed cycling switch 56 which controls delivery of energy to the heating element It during the cooking operation. The cycling switch 56 will be hereinafter further referred to.

The pressure-responsive means includes an expanslble wafer to secured to a bracket 62 which,

in turn, is suitably secured to the bracket 18. The wafer 88 communicates with the interior of the vessel Ill by means of a pipe 84, the free end of which is adapted to enter the guide member 28 to unseat the ball valve 28 when the vessel in is placed on the stand II, as shown in Fig. l. The lower wall of the wafer 50 carries a stem II which has or carries an car 88, shown more clearly in Fig. 2. The ear is has a slot I8 through which a brake arm II extends (Fig. 2). The brake arm ll is pivoted at 18 and is so constructed and arranged as to remain in any position to which it may be moved. The brake II is adapted to engage an escapement balance wheel 18 forming part of the timing device. The slot I8 is considerably wider than the thickness or diameter of the brake II for a purpose which will be hereinafter described. Secured to the bracket 29 is an arm ll carrying the fixed terminal 18 of the cycling switch 56, the other or movable terminal 18 of which is carried by a spring arm 80 carried by the bracket 29 and normall biased upwardly. The spring arm 88 also carries a pin 82, which is preferably adjustable, and which is disposed in the path of movement of the stem 66. The cycling switch 56 is normally closed to energize the heating element lli except as hereinafter explained.

Operation The vessel l8, containing the material to be cooked and having the cover 28 tightly clamped in position, is placed on the stand l2 in such manner as to cause the upper end of the conduit 64 to enter the guide member 28 and the lower end of the conduit 24. This unseats the ball valve 28 and establishes communication between the interior of the vessel ill and the bellows 60.

Assuming that the material is to be cooked for one-half hour under a steam pressure of fifteen pounds per square inch, the knob 80 is turned until the index 8| thereof registers with the numeral so on the dial 82. This rotates the arm 38 in clockwise direction and moves it out of the path of the lever 85. The lever 88 is now moved downwardly by the spring 48 to close the main switch 45 through the terminals H and 48. The closing of the switch 45 energizes the lamp Ill, and since the cycling switch 56 is always closed at the beginning of a cooking operation, the heating element It is also energized through the terminals 16 and 18. In this position of the parts, the brake ll engages the balance wheel 13 and prevents the timing device from beginning to measure the time for which it was set.

When the pressure within the wafer 89 reaches the value to which the wafer is adjusted, as for example, fifteen pounds per square inch, the lower side of the wafer depresses the stem 86 and car 88. The downward movement of the ear 88 causes the upper edge of the slot Hi to contact and move the brake 1i out of engagement with the balance wheel I8, thus releasing the timing device which now begins to measure the time for which it is set. As above set forth, the brake Ii is pivoted at 12, but is frictionally retained, in any well-known manner, so as to remain in any position to which it may have been moved until it is again moved in the same or an opposite direction by the car 88. Simultaneously with the movement of the brake H, or shortly thereafter, the stem 86 also depresses the pin 82, thus depressing the arm 86 and separating the terminals aseaosa II and II. This opens the cycling switch It and deenergizes the heating element ll.

When the pressure within the vessel ll falls below the desired value of fifteen pounds per square inch, the wafer 88 is contracted. thus moving the stem 68 upwardly and out of contact with the pin 82. This allows the spring arm 88 to move the terminal II upwardly against the terminal I8 to close the cycling switch 88 and reenergiae the heating element [8 and so on.

Due to the fact that the slot 18 is wider than the thickness or width of the brake ii, the stem 88 and the ear 88 can move upwardly sumcicnt- 1y to allow the terminals 18 and 18 to close the cycling switch IS without the lower edge of the slot 18 contacting or moving the brake ll upwardly and causing it to re-engage the balance wheel 18. The size of the slot III is such that the pressure within the vessel Ill must fall well below the desired value before the wafer 88 contracts sufllcientiy to raise the stem 66 and ear Bl enough to move the brake H into engagement with the balance wheel ll. This occurs only after the cooking operation is completed and the vessel II has cooled 01!. Therefore, it is clear that, once the brake II is disengaged from the balance wheel II by the wafer 60, the brake H is not further aflected by the closing and opening of the terminals It and ll of the cycling switch 58 during the cooking operation. As will be seen from Fig. 4, the lamp so remains energized as long as the main switch It is closed, regardless (if the opening and closing of the cycling switch When the cooking period for which the timing device was set has elapsed, the knob 38 will have returned to zero position and the arm 84 moves counterclockwise into engagement with and raises the lever 86, thus causing, or permitting, the terminals M and It to separate and open the main switch 45. This deenergizes both the heater i8 and the lamp ill. The deenergization of the lamp 5B informsthe operator that the cooking cycle has been completed.

In Figs. 5 to 'l, I show a modified form of control mechanism which is adapted to be used in connection with the same vessel ill and stand II and which is only diagrammatically illustrated. This form of control includes a conventional clock mechanism adapted to be set, or wound and set, by a knob 88 which is movable with reference to a graduated dial 88. The knob 88 is carried by a shaft 88 which also carries and moves a disc 90 which has a peripheral notch 82. Cooperating with the clock mechanism is a trigger and resetting mechanlsm including a lever 84 fulcrumed at 88 and biased by a tension spring 88. Pivoted to the lever 84 and biased by a tension spring I88 is a lever I82, one end of which is adapted to seat in the notch 82 on the periphery of the disc 88 when the apparatus is in the "off position as in Fig. 5, or to ride on the periphery of the disc 88 when the apparatus is in the "on" or operative position as in Fig. 6.

When the lever I8! is in the position shown in F18. 6 it bears against a pin I94 on the lever 94 to move the latter about its fulcrum 98 in a manner and for a purpose hereinafter set forth. The lever 84 terminates in a cross piece I" having a finger lll8 at one end and a knob H8 at the other end thereof. Disposed in the path of the finger I88 is a suitably supported spring arm H2 carrying one terminal Ill of a. main switch III, the other terminal Iii of which is fixedly aaeaasa secured at III. The spring arm II2 normally biases the terminal II4 away from the fixed terminal II8 to open the switch "8.

The main switch III controls a circuit which is supplied with current by leads L1 and La and to which the heating element I8 and a signal lamp III, adapted to indicate the degree of pressure within the vessel I8, are connected in parallel. This circuit includes a normally-closed switch I I8 which controls the energization of the lamp III, and a normally-closed cycling switch III which regulates the energization of the heating element l8 during the cooflng operation.

The switch I I8 comprises a movable terminal I20 carried by a downwardly-biased spring arm I22 and a fixed terminal I24 carried by an arm I28. The terminal I24 is connected to the lamp III and to the lead La by a wire I28, while the terminal I20 is electrically connected to the terminal II8 through the arm I22 or by any other suitable means.

The cycling switch II8 comprises a movable terminal I28 carried by a downwardly-biased spring arm I88 and a fixed terminal I82 carried by an arm I84. The terminal I22 is connected in any suitable manner to the lead L1 and the terminal I28 is electrically connected through the arm I80, or any other suitable means, to the terminal H8. It is to be understood that other means for connecting the terminal I28 to the terminal I20 may be employed. The movable main terminal I I4 is connected to the heating element I8 by a wire I88 and the heating element is connected to the lead L: by a wire I88.

It will thus be seen that with the switches II8, H8 and II8 all closed, the heating element I8 and the signal lamp III are both energized; that with the switch III open and the switches III and H8 closed, the signal lamp only is energized; that with the switch II8 open, the heating element I8 is deenergized, regardless of the position of the switches III and H8; and that, with either oi the switches III or II8 open, the lamp III is deenergized, regardless of the position of the switch II8.

Carried by a fixed support I88 is a toggle I88 which actuates a brake I48 adapted to engage the balance wheel I42 of the clock mechanism. The toggle I80 is connected to the lever 94 by a resetting stem I44, the upper end of which engages or passes through an opening in the toggle I88 and is provided with a stop collar I48. A bellows I48 is connected to the interior of the vessel I8 by a pipe I48, the other end of which is adapted to pass through the guide member 28 to unseat the ball valve 28 and establish communication between the bellows I48 and vessel I in the manner described in connection with Fig. l. Coacting with the bellows I48 is a rod I80 which is provided with a stop collar I82 adapted to engage the contact arm I22 and a collar I84 adapted to engage the contact arm I80.

A branch pipe I88 connects the pipe I48 with a steam exhaust pipe I88. The lower end of the pipe I88 is disposed in a receptacle I80 which serves as a baille to prevent escape of live steam directLv into the room and to retain any condensate. The branch pipe I88 is normally closed oil from the exhaust pipe I88 by a valve I82, carried by a rod I84 and normally biased into closing position by a spring I88. The rod I84 is engaged and adapted to be actuated by one end of a lever I88 which is pivoted at I18, and the other end or which is adapted to be engaged and actuated by the knob IIO oi the adJacent end of thecross piece I08.

Operation when it is desired to use a pressure cooker provided with this type 01' control, the vessel I0 is placed on the stand I2 and an electric plug (not shown) is inserted into a convenient electric outlet. The lamp III is now energized through the lead L1, the terminals of the normally-closed switch II8, the spring arms I and I22 which are electrically interconnected, the terminals I20 and I24 01 the normally-closed switch II8, the wires I28 and the lead La. It will be seen that, as long as the terminals H4 and H8 01' the main switch iii are open, the heating element I8 remains unenergized. Assuming that it is desired to cook the material for a period of one-half hour under a pressure of fifteen pounds per square inch, it is merely necessary to turn the knob 88 until the point or index thereof registers with the numeral 80 on the dial 88. This causes the lever I02 to ride on the periphery oi the disc 80 (see Fig. 6) and, in this position, the lever I02, pressing against the pin I04, tilts the lever 84 about the inlcrum 88 from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 6. In this position, the finger I08 closes the switch I I8 and energizes the heating element I8 through the lead L1, the normally-closed switch II8, the spring arm I80, the terminals H8 and H4, the spring arm II2, the wires I83 and I88 and the lead L2. It will be noted that as long as the main switch II! and the auxiliary cycling switch 8 are closed, the heating element I8 remains energized regardless of the opening or closing of the switch II8. In this position of the parts, the brake I40 enga es the balance wheel I42 of the clock mechanism and hence the disc 80 remains stationary while the vessel I0 is being heated. As steam pressure develops within the vessel I0. it is transmitted through the pipe I48 to the bellows I48 to expand the latter, and the parts are so constructed and adjusted that, when approximately A pound per square inch of pressure is developed within the vessel I0, the collar I82 engages the arm I22 to open the switch II8. This deenergizes the lamp III toindicate the presence of a liighor unsafe degree 01' pressure within the vessel I8, and thus warns the operator that it is not safe to open the vessel. Also, in this position of the parts, the knob IIO of the cross piece I 88 is out of engagement with the adjacent end of the lever I 88, thus leaving the spring I88 tree to expand and urge the valve I82 to closed position to prevent steam passing from the pipe I 48 into the exhaust pipe I88.

When the pressure within the vessel I0 has attained the desired predetermined value, such as fifteen pounds per square inch, the bellows I48 is expanded suiflciently to move the rod I80 further upwardly to bring the upper end I 8| thereof into engagement with the adjacent end of the toggle I88. Under pressure 0! the rod I80, the toggle I88 snaps from the position shown in Fig. 5 to that shown in Fig. 6, in which the brake I40 is out of engagement with the balance wheel I42. The clock mechanism now starts to measure the period oi. time to which it was set and the disc 80 begins to turn in the direction of the arrow marked Run.

Simultaneously with, or shortly after, the release of the brake I40, the collar I84 on the rod I88 moves the spring contact arm I80 upwardly to open the cycling switch III, thus deenerglzing the heating element I6 even though the main switch H5 is still closed. When the pressure within the vessel Ill drops to a point below the predetermined value, the bellows I 48 contracts, the rod I50 and collar I 54 move downwardly to permit the spring arm I" to close the switch I I! and re-eneigize the heating element I6. In this way, the pressure within the pot III remains substantially constant. It will be noted that the opening and closing of the switch H8 does not in any way affect the switch III which remains open as long as the pressure within the vessel is over A pound per square inch. Also, once the brake I40 has been released, the toggle I" remains in its over-center position until it is positively reset in the manner hereinafter set forth.

When the time to which the clock mechanism was set has elapsed and the knob 86 has returned to the point on the dial 88 marked Zero," the lever I02 again enters the notch 92 in the periphery of the disc 80. In this position, the lever I02 does not exert any pressure on the lever I4 and the spring 98 now withdraws the lever 94 from the position shown in Fig. 6 back to the position shown in Fig. 5, in which the finger III! is moved away from the spring arm H2 carrying the movable contact H4. The spring arm H2 now biases the terminal II4 out of engagement with the terminal Hi to open the switch III. The opening 01' the main switch [I5 deenergizes the heating element IE but does not n any way affect the circuit of the lamp III. Simultaneously, the knob IID actuates the lever I88 in clockwise direction to move the valve I52 to open position. Steam from the vessel I is now exhausted through the pipes I56 and IE8. When the pressure within the vessel III has reached the predetermined low value of A pound per square inch, the bellows I46 is sufliciently contracted to permit the rod I50 to drop until the collar III is retracted from contact with the spring arm I22. This permits the arm I22 to close the switch H8 and energize the lamp III, thus indicating to the operator that it is now safe to open the vessel It].

The movement of the lever 94 from the position shown in Fig. 6 to the position shown in Fig. also actuates the stem I44 so as to cause the collar I45 at the upper end thereof to engage and move the toggle I38 downwardly at that point. The toggle I38 is thus reset and the brake I40 again engages the balance wheel I42. The control mechanism is now ready to begin another cycle.

While I have shown my invention in several forms, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications without departin from the spirit thereof, and I desire, thereiore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A cooking device comprising a fluid-tight vessel for food to be cooked under pressure. means for heating said vessel, a time-measuring device adapted to be set for a predetermined period of cooking at a predetermined pressure, means operable upon said device being set for a period of cooking to render said heating means effective to deliver heat to said vessel, means operable in response to the pressure in said vessel for delaying the time-measuring operation of said device until said vessel reaches substantially said predetermined pressure and then for initiating such time-measuring operation, means for controlling the heat delivery of said heating means in response to the pressure in said vessel to maintain the same substantially constant, and means controlled by said time-measuring-device to terminate heat delivery from said heating means upon the end of said predetermined period of time.

2. A pressure cooking device comprising a fluidtight vessel, heating means for heating said vessel, a clock mechanism including means to set the same to measure a predetermined time interval and to energize said heating means, a brake adapted to engage and render said clock mechanism ineffective to measure said time interval, pressure-responsive means adapted to disengage said brake from said clock mechanism to render the latter effective to begin measuring said time interval when the pressure within said vessel first reaches a predetermined value, means also adapted to be actuated by said pressureresponsive means and controlling said heating means to maintain the pressure within said vessel substantially at a predetermined value, and means operable by said clock mechanism to terminate energization of said heating means at the end of said time interval.

3. The structure recited in claim 2 together with a visual signal operable to indicate the end of the cooking operation.

4. The structure recited in claim 2 together with means operable to re-engage said brake with said clock mechanism automatically to adapt the cooking device for the beginning of another cooking operation.

5. The structure recited in claim 2 together with means for automatically discharging steam from said vessel at the end of the cooking operation.

6. The structure recited in claim 2 together with means for discharging steam from said vessel at the end of the cooking operation and means for indicating that the pressure within said vessel has reached the predetermined low value.

7. A pressure cooking device comprising a fluidtight vessel. heating means for heating said vessel, a clock mechanism including means to set the same to measure a predetermined time interval and to energize said heating means, a brake adapted to engage and render said clock mechanism inefiective to measure said time interval, temperature-responsive means adapted to disengage said brake from said clock mechanism to render the latter effective to begin measuring said time interval, when the temperature within said vessel first reaches a predetermined value, means also adapted to be actuated by said temperature-responsive means and controlling said heating means to maintain the temperature within said vessel substantially at a predetermined value, and means operable by said clock mechanism to terminate energization of said heating means at the end of said time interval.

HAROLD P. ALLEN.

5 Disclaimer 2,369,932.Harold P. Allen, Mansfield Ohio. Pnxasmm 000mm. Patent dated Feb. 20, 1945. Disclaimer filed Dec. 13, 1947, by the assignee, Westinghouse Electric Corporation. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 1 to 5 inclusive and claim 7 of said patent.

[Oficial Gazette January 20, 1948.] 

